About
Hey, there. I’m Missy. I became a special needs mom at the same time I became a mom, so it’s taken me the better part of a decade to wrap my brain around this crazy journey. Even still, most days, I have no idea what the heck I’m doing. But, I have picked up a little wisdom, a little humor, and a lot of love along the way. I created this space to be able to share openly about the struggles I encounter parenting a child with special needs along with my other two neurotypical boys, my quest to find just the slightest shred of good in all situations, and the love that always finds a way of showing up when I least expect it.
When my daughter, Sienna, was diagnosed with Smith-Magenis Syndrome, a rare and challenging disorder, I felt alone and terrified. It seemed that no one could possibly relate to what I was going through. However, the more I share openly about my journey, the more often I come across others who seem to be living parallel lives. It is through my struggle with the isolation that comes from being a special needs parent that I use this space to create a new community based on empathy and understanding. As special needs parents, we learned long ago that our idea of a “perfect” life must be redefined in order to thrive in this role. We are rewriting a new life filled with lots of imperfections and rare moments of perfect. My greatest hope is that you will find some comfort and a safe space here knowing that, in whatever feeling you are feeling about the turn your life has taken, you are never alone.
In addition to writing and being a full time mom, I also serve as President of the SMS Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization I co-founded in 2010 with another SMS mom and friend, Jennifer Iannuzzi. Our focus is on funding research for Smith-Magenis Syndrome with the goal of finding answers and possible treatments that will improve the lives of individuals living with SMS and their families.
Popular Blog Posts
OUCH. The Truth Hurts, but it Will Set You Free
About Hey, there. I’m Missy. I became a special needs mom at the same time I became a mom, […]
Read More ›Rumi the Service Dog
About Hey, there. I’m Missy. I became a special needs mom at the same time I became a mom, […]
Read More ›To My Soldiering Sisters
About Hey, there. I’m Missy. I became a special needs mom at the same time I became a mom, […]
Read More ›A Special Occasion
About Hey, there. I’m Missy. I became a special needs mom at the same time I became a mom, […]
Read More ›
17 truths I know for sure thanks to SMS
About Hey, there. I’m Missy. I became a special needs mom at the same time I became a mom, […]
Read More ›
The Beginning
About Hey, there. I’m Missy. I became a special needs mom at the same time I became a mom, […]
Read More ›